Evan Holyfield carving out own niche

Unbeaten prospect Evan Holyfield (8-0, 6 KOs), the son of legendary heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, will look to kick off what he hopes to be a big 2022 campaign when he takes on Chris Rollins (5-3-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout on the non-televised undercard on Saturday from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.

“My goals for 2022 are to remain undefeated and win Prospect of the Year,” said Holyfield. “I have to start by winning on January 22. I’ve been growing at a steady rate. Every time I fight I try to keep showing some type of evolution based on what I’ve been doing in the gym during training.”

Despite the large shadow created by his father’s many accomplishments, Holyfield, nicknamed “Yung Holy”, has been able to keep himself focused on his craft instead of worrying about any outside perceptions his family ties might cause.

“I don’t spend too much time thinking about creating my own lane or getting out of my dad’s shadow because I know I’m my own man and that we are different as fighters,” said Holyfield. “My brother plays in the NFL and every game they still mention my dad, even though it has nothing to do with boxing. They’re always going to mention my dad and that’s fine.

“With every fight, it’s a chance for people to see who I am and see the differences between us as fighters. That’s the only thing that makes people change their minds and see who I am, is when you show them something. My dad has always been really supportive and encouraging. He’s always been there for any questions that I have. And it’s always nice to make him proud when I do well.”

Co-trained by coaches Mike Stafford and Bert Wells, Holyfield has split his training camp between the Cincinnati Golden Gloves gym and the Paul Murphy Boxing Club in Atlanta. The 24-year-old added three victories in 2021 as he now prepares for his first 2022 outing on Saturday night.

“I approach every camp seriously and with a determined mindset,” said Holyfield. “I’ve learned a lot this camp and I’m ready for January 22. I know I’m facing an opponent who’s about my height, so I think he’s going to try to use his jab a lot against me. I’m going to approach it like all of my fights, which is to do what I can to hit and not get hit. A lot of these fighters try to change their looks against me, so I’ll just have to see what he does on fight night.”

Holyfield is looking forward to the opportunity to compete on Saturday night and maintains he’s going to bring excitement to the ring, along with the ring generalship that helped make his father an all-time great in the sport.

“I’m definitely an exciting fighter,” said Holyfield. “I feel like I can adapt to any situation. I can box when I have to box, and fight when I have to fight. The main thing is to hit and not get hit and protect yourself from taking damage.”

Also on the card is undefeated LeShawn Rodriguez (12-0, 9 KOs) from Port Jefferson, NY. He will battle Sixto Suazo (9-2-1, 7 KOs) in a six-round middleweight bout.

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  • Yung Holy: the constant mentioning of your father is out of deep respect for him, linking you to the legend for viewers who may not know, while recognizing your ambition. I am one who respects the family legacy. All good my man.

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